The National Universities Commission (NUC) has firmly opposed the program initiated by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to convert Higher National Diploma (HND) to a university degree.
In a statement released by the Acting Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki, the NUC discredited the purported one-year top-up degree program in Nigerian polytechnics, labeling it as misleading. Maiyaki highlighted the persistent gap between first degrees and HNDs, indicating the complexity of such a conversion due to the distinct educational programs offered by universities and polytechnics.
Maiyaki explicitly stated that the NUC is not affiliated with the NBTE’s Top-up Scheme, urging the public and relevant entities to acknowledge the NUC’s disassociation from this initiative. He emphasized the unique nature of technical education globally, where polytechnics and universities coexist, each serving specific purposes aligned with their established goals.
Moreover, Maiyaki outlined the stringent requirements for HND graduates aspiring to pursue master’s degree programs, underscoring the necessity of obtaining a postgraduate diploma (PGD) from a recognized university. The statement implied that individuals benefiting from the NBTE’s Top-Up Programme must adhere to the existing admission criteria established by Nigerian universities for further studies within the National University System (NUS).
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